Posted by: Gengar | Apr 30 2023 23:15 utc | 104
In a little known or shared recorded quote, Mike Pimpeous said “Obama sent the Ukrainians MREs. We sent them Javelins.” Of course the person doing the interview was with NPR and goading him about not doing more to help the Ukrainian nazis.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 30 2023 23:17 utc | 104

@ Gengar | Apr 30 2023 23:15 utc | 104
let’s not re-write history.
I’ll rewrite history: Trump would not have given Russia the middle finger like Biden and Blinken did, in December 2001, when they knew it would be war.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 30 2023 23:20 utc | 106

Lev Davidovich | Apr 30 2023 14:44 utc | 2
Eurovision. Yep, Blergh.
Australia has been participating for 2? Decades.
[I’m prepared to be corrected on any statements I make re Eurovision. I could search engine of choice, but IDGAF so…jump in Aussies if you feel the compunction to correct]
Australia started just televising Eurovision. It was so popular (blergh) we sent a delegation to report; then we sent singers who could “showcase”. Then we sent, I think, competitors (not sure). All my information is only what has penetrated through a wall of indifference and active avoidance).
But I should have tried to get odds on Ukraine winning last year…it was a given. UK was awarded second place precisely so they could step in and host the broadcast.
Ukraine was allowed to win in, I think, 2015, because of Crimea. I do remember that Ukrainian winner was a woman with a beard, someName “Wurst”.. which appealed to my sense of irony. Even back then, transgenderism was being promoted. And Ukraine was the vehicle for western “values”.

Posted by: Melaleuca | Apr 30 2023 23:25 utc | 108

Posted by: la bouteille | Apr 30 2023 23:06 utc | 102
A welcome development. Let’s hope it’s contagious.

Posted by: Chris | Apr 30 2023 23:43 utc | 110

More bombers have been launched including TU-160, in addition to the first salvo. Seems like blood in the water now, air defense has evaporated. Now the front lines are getting also hit, which means ukro’s must have committed large concentrations on the front.
TBH it seems like there might be more indefinite “delays” in upcoming days.

Posted by: unimperator | Apr 30 2023 23:54 utc | 112

unimperator | Apr 30 2023 23:54 utc | 113
I read earlier that Ukraine had started concentrating forces in the south for their offensive so I assume its those concentrations that are being hit.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 1 2023 0:37 utc | 114

Some videos for today.
Journalist forced out after criticizing Western coverage of Nord Stream blast:
https://odysee.com/@RT:fd/_question-less:b
RT crew visits civilian areas devastated by Kiev regime attacks:
https://odysee.com/@RT:fd/donetsk-civilians-under-fire:3
Russian T-72 destroys Kiev regime command post:
https://rutube.ru/video/625391b220c614d6d79c858b2f182a6d/
Russian infantry fighting vehicle works on enemy position:
https://rutube.ru/video/0c88dba016822d41cd545ff36b2308c0/
Russian Lancet drone obliterates Kiev regime self-propelled howitzer:
https://odysee.com/@Overthrown:6/video_2023-04-30_12-01-28:d
Russian Tornado-G MLRS engages enemy positions:
https://odysee.com/@SputnikInternational:c/2023-04-30-15.24.16:a

Posted by: Nate | May 1 2023 0:40 utc | 116

“Ukrainian monitoring channels report that 6 Tu-95MS missile carriers carried out missile launches, after which a command was given to restart.”
Assume this means going back to pick up another load.

Posted by: unimperator | May 1 2023 0:44 utc | 118

Regarding the Prigozhin interview–about a month ago I listened to an interview on Paul Jay’s theanalysis.com website with Boris Kagarlitsky, a Russian who does not support Putin (he’s been arrested by just about every Russian govt since Gorbachev). He said the Russian military and intelligence are against the war, would like it to end, and want to undermine the Wagner Group. Here’s a link to the interview. The discussion of the Russian military starts around 14 minutes in. I have no idea what’s going on, so I try to listen to various, disparate voices and note when opposite voices agree on a point. In short, Prigozhin might be speaking the truth.
https://theanalysis.news/how-will-the-war-in-ukraine-end-boris-kagarlitsky/

Posted by: Maybe | May 1 2023 1:07 utc | 120

Just realized it’s May Day. Maybe it’s just fireworks.

Posted by: Just Observing | May 1 2023 1:24 utc | 122

Hal Turner reporting that up to two(2) whole divisions of Ukrainian formations have been destroyed in the latest strikes.
It appears as if the shit may be about to hit the proverbial fan. Roger.
Over and out.

Posted by: LtGen_Breedluvv | May 1 2023 1:27 utc | 124

It seems that the US media are now fully controlled by the Government. The Carlson firing removed the last gadfly who might embarrass the emperor by mentioning his lack of clothing.
I’m not near cable news but as I scan the usual rotten spots, CNN, Fox, etc there is literally no mention of these massive air attacks on Ukraine. If it weren’t for MoA and telegram and Twitter you’d never know they’re happening.
I believe this sort of information blackout will get worse. Musk may become a target.
Enjoy the bar while you can. Cheers to all! Happy May Day.

Posted by: Chris | May 1 2023 1:31 utc | 126

Kinzhal carriers have taken off, more EW disturbance measure, more bombing runs underway. Missiles heading toward Kiev. Will we here about another Nato bunker busting operation soon?

Posted by: unimperator | May 1 2023 1:41 utc | 128

Since Ukraine seems to still have functioning air defense at least in Dnepro and Kiev, maybe it’s a continuation of SEAD campaign.

Posted by: unimperator | May 1 2023 1:53 utc | 130

LGB! | May 1 2023 0:39 utc | 119
Going by the light levels the only live cam seems to be 3 Zaporizhzhia
unlikely to see any action there

Posted by: olaf22 | May 1 2023 2:02 utc | 132

Regarding the Prigozhin interview–about a month ago I listened to an interview on Paul Jay’s theanalysis.com website with Boris Kagarlitsky, a Russian who does not support Putin (he’s been arrested by just about every Russian govt since Gorbachev). He said the Russian military and intelligence are against the war, would like it to end, and want to undermine the Wagner Group. Here’s a link to the interview. The discussion of the Russian military starts around 14 minutes in. I have no idea what’s going on, so I try to listen to various, disparate voices and note when opposite voices agree on a point. In short, Prigozhin might be speaking the truth.
https://theanalysis.news/how-will-the-war-in-ukraine-end-boris-kagarlitsky/
Posted by: Maybe | May 1 2023 1:07 utc | 126

Wagner is a creation of the GRU (the military intelligence). In the FSB (the civilian intelligence) they might be against the war, but there is definitely a very strong patriotic faction in the military. It is far from being in control of everything though, which is why the effort has been sabotaged to such an unimaginable when all this started extent.
This is why knowledgeable observers were commenting even in the weeks immediately before February 24 2022 that Russia needs to first win the war inside itself, and then Ukraine and NATO will be dispatched with ease. That prerequisite hasn’t been accomplished yet though.

Posted by: shadowbanned | May 1 2023 2:10 utc | 134

from The Guardian
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine with me, Helen Livingstone.
Air raid sirens have sounded in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine, with some reports that Russia has launched a wave of missiles. The armed forces have urged Ukrainians to go to shelters and warned that Kyiv was under “threat of a missile strike”. There was also a “threat to the northern, central and eastern regions”, it said on its Telegram channel. “Kyiv region – air defence works,” it added, as explosions were reported in the capital.

Posted by: Don Bacon | May 1 2023 2:26 utc | 136

Posted by: Maybe | May 1 2023 1:07 utc | 126
“Regarding the Prigozhin … “
Go back into the past( Sept, Oct, Nov 2022)
– you can easy do it on this site –
Last September/October, only few knew Prigozhin, but all knew Selenski, the future Nobel Prize winner. (What a great show he gave us)
Then came the “media millennium victories” in Kharkiv and Kherson and later the meeting in Bali. After this moment the old star disappeared from the media stage (People in this world just got tired of his speeches) and a new star was born. And now we know the face of Putins cook and we know every word he has spoken in the last few hours/minutes/seconds.
in the last 6 months from 0% to 100% and the old Star from 100% to ~10-20%

Posted by: theo | May 1 2023 2:29 utc | 138

Posted by: Maybe | May 1 2023 1:07 utc | 126
i forgot
someone ordered this show and surely someone will have to pay for this great show.
This is called rules of life

Posted by: theo | May 1 2023 2:47 utc | 140

Ukranazistan is getting pasted right now by missile barrages from TU95MS bombers. Especially something big has been struck in Pavlograd. Allegedly a big S300 missile depot.
I assume that as usual 175% of the missiles soul be success intercepted by Ukranazi air defences and the remaining 35% will be successfully intercepted by infrastructure and militarised buildings.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 1 2023 2:58 utc | 142

I now vaguely recall China purchasing some major Ukrainian industry? An aviation manufacturer?
Posted by: Melaleuca | May 1 2023 2:40 utc | 147
Motor Sich – gas turbine manufacturer. The US blocked the sale to China.

Posted by: Passerby | May 1 2023 3:09 utc | 144

Looks like a busy day heading into May 1st. Major airstrikes in progress.
https://askeptic.substack.com/p/battlefield-update-2023-04-30-1
https://askeptic.substack.com/p/battlefield-update-2023-04-30-2
Battlefield Update 1
Battlefield Update 2
A daily collection of news from the front.

Posted by: Will | May 1 2023 3:13 utc | 146

i wonder if prigozhin is being prepped, perhaps without his knowledge, to challenge putin. after all, he is an oligarch, or at least that’s what i’ve read. i imagine putin is keeping an eye on him.
he will have a lot of support from wagner, no doubt. our kinda guy.

Posted by: polarbear4 | May 1 2023 4:02 utc | 148

Pepe Escobar links to this report from Prigozhin. He ain’t happy and assures us that time will tell REAL SOON. I doubt that Prigozhin is a concern troll yet he does harp on a lot about this issue:
https://roloslavskiy.substack.com/p/wagners-prigozhin-issues-most-dire?utm_medium=android

I will share the bullet-points with you here as I listen along:
By the 80s, the Soviet Army was just a social club, ineffective and neutered and not even an organization capable of providing a social lift
Russia didn’t win the Chechen wars, Putin paid Kadyrov’s dad a bribe to end it
There was no such thing as the “Delbaltsevo Cauldron” in Donbass – Poroshenko’s army simply made an orderly retreat intact. It was a patriotic lie told by Russia
Wagner was the main force that saved Assad in Syria and was undermined by the MoD every step of the way
The SMO proved that the Russian army is totally demoralized, unorganized, untrained, undisciplined and unprepared
The MoD routinely lies about realities on the battlefield even about Wagner’s operations
The Russian Army in the north likes to get drunk and the Ukrainians make good money selling them cognac
Wagner launched its operation to stabilize the front when the Russian army was retreating in chaos and disorder following the Ukrainian counterattack
The military command gives bizarre orders to its men
There is no real leadership in the army
Russia has the resources to win, but the leadership keeps the resources away from the people who need it on purpose
Lower level officers are pressured to lie to higher-ups because everyone will get in trouble if they don’t
Bakhmut was a plan created by Wagner and General Surovikin to damage the Ukrainian army
Mentally-ill people in the command believed in saving funds and supplies for a later attack, but this decision was eventually reversed
Prigozhin says he knows where the supplies are being kept, there are enough supplies to fight another half-year
MoD Deputy in charge of supplies Aleksei Krivoruchka has to be fired
Prigozhin outlines some simply military math – one hectare requires X amount of shells to be successfully neutralized before a storm. Wagner needs 80,000 shells a day at the very bare minimum
On paper, the Russian Army has soldiers on Wagner’s flanks, but they are not there in reality
Prigozhin believes this is a political sabotage campaign directed at Wagner
Wagner is facing down 35k Ukrainian soldiers in Bakhmut and up 500 of their soldiers die a day, but are replenished. Every 20 minutes, 10 soldiers are sent in. An unending flood of reinforcements.
Wagner has been cut-off from supplies. Their representatives are sitting 4 days in line to get an appointment from the bureaucracy
The KGB stands for Club of Senile Grandpas (in Russian this acronym works) or the Club of Emotional Midgets
The KGB hates Russia. All their mistresses live good lives in the West so what do they care about the war. They demand that the officers lie to them and only tolerate nice-sounding lies.
The Russian army has been transformed from the world’s second-best army into one of the worst – Russia cannot even deal with Ukraine
Russia’s defenses won’t hold if supplies are not released to the soldiers
Prigozhin reaffirms that political intrigue is what prevents the release of these supplies
Prigozhin wants to launch a federal investigation into the corrupt officials responsible for this and the blood that they have on their hands
Prigozhin keeps a list of the thousands of Russian deaths caused by the MoD
Poor medicine leads to more deaths
Bakhmut could have been taken if Shoigu had given them their supplies
Wagner might have to retreat unless they don’t get supplies
Time to tell the truth and stop lying to the Russian people
Once the rains end and the ground dries, the attack will come, maybe by the 9th of May
The interviewer asks: “maybe you will use these weapons to storm Moscow?”
Prigozhin compares the hated bureaucrats who live on Rublevka to Jews living in Israel
No real answer about whether or not Wagner will march on Moscow, the question is dismissed as being ridiculous [I think its a fun fantasy]
Prigozhin has a helpful list of instructions in his office on how to configure scopes correctly for potential snipers (Kremlin assassins) who want to shoot him at his office in St. Petersburg written on his wall with a helpful hint to adjust for a potential dip in the path of the bullet caused by the long distance of a potential shot taken from across the Neva river
Wagner’s pressure is all that slows down the Ukrainian counterattack by diverting attention
Wagner’s intelligence says that they have spies, satellites, the whole works and according to their information, the Ukrainian threat is very real and can reach the Russia-proper border with the forces that they have
Wagner takes the opinions and analyses of their soldiers seriously, the Russian Military, in contrast, treats its soldiers like trash
They repeat a lot of points about the need for supplies
Ukraine wants to continue the advance further than Donbass and then Poland and NATO
Interviewer: “are you a demoralization agent?”
Prigozhin: the Russian people need to know because they will have to pay in blood for this. The bureaucrats will simply flee to the West. They are the ones afraid of the truth
Prigozhin asks why Russia continues to sell oil to the West through India? Says this is treachery. The elites in Russia are in secret negotiations with the Western elite. [A word-for-word Strelkov talking point].
General Teplinsky is one of the good ones, it’s good news that he is back
More talk about supplies
Wagner won’t march on Moscow (lol)
There is nothing to celebrate this May 9th on Victory Day. Respect for the fallen, but no cause for celebration and pompous ceremonies. Russia hasn’t earned this theatrical display
Conclusions:
The army needs supplies
The bureaucrats need to come to the frontlines
The Ukrainian army will attack and this may very well end in tragedy for Russia
The need for the truth to cut through state propaganda has never been more pressing
I’ll have more to say on this including more speculations about the fate of Wagner. But this article is just straight faithful transcription of the facts. Prigozhin’s words can stand on their own for now.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | May 1 2023 4:23 utc | 150

Apologies for my #158 post on Prigozhin, I see it was posted much earlier. Fascinating times we live in 😉
I must say that this is one of the best May Day events in my life – Russian Army and Wagner have combined to smash the nazis: GO FOR IT.
I have draped my sharp shovel with Saint George ribbon to celebrate.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | May 1 2023 4:40 utc | 152

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ #Chronicle of the Special Military Operation for 29-30 Apr 2023⚡️
🔹#Russia’s Border Areas:
▪️ In #Bryansk region, Ukrainian terror formations launched missile strikes on the village of #Suzemka, four people were killed, two more taken to hospital.
▪️ In #Kursk region, the AFU terrorists shelled residential buildings in the village of Krasnooktyabrsky. Civilians were not injured.
▪️ In #Belgorod region, the enemy terrorists hit private households and power lines in Novaya Tavolzhanka. Residents of five villages were left without electricity.
➖ Russian air defence assets intercepted an AFU drone in #Belgorod region, according to preliminary information, no casualties.
🔹#Lugansk People’s Republic:
▪️ In the town of #Bryanka on Saturday, the AFU terrorists fired at least four rockets from HIMARS at civilian targets, residential houses, a petrol station, an employment centre and a power transmission line were damaged.
🔹#Soledar (#Bakhmut) Direction:
▪️ Wagner PMC assault squads have taken control of the Military Unit in the western districts of #Bakhmut.
▪️ Russian units advanced along Pobeda Street and Levanevsky Street.
▪️ The Wagnerians dislodged Ukrainian formations from Polevaya Street and also stormed enemy positions on Chaykovsky Street.
🔹#Donetsk Direction (MAP):
▪️ North of #Avdeyevka, heavy positional fighting continues along the entire line of contact near #Krasnogorovka.
▪️ To the south, assault squads of the AFU 53rd Mechanized Brigade have twice attempted to attack Russian army positions near #Vodyanoye over the past few days.
➖ The Russian forces successfully repulsed the offensive and launched a counterattack, pushing the enemy back to their initial lines.
▪️ The AFU terrorists once again shelled #Donetsk agglomeration with barrel and rocket artillery, several people were injured and more than five civilian buildings have been damaged.
▪️ In the centre of #Maryinka, Russian troops broke through enemy defences near Druzhba Avenue and advanced along Polygraphic and Kashtanova Streets.
➖ On the southern outskirts, Russian Armed Forces units are fighting near Gorgaz and a timber processing plant.
🔹#Zaporozhye Direction (MAP):
▪️ Overnight the enemy shelled Tokmak, damaging a railway depot and a maintenance station, casualties avoided.
▪️ Over Energodar, two drones were shot down by air defence, no civilian casualties or destruction.
▪️ Ukrainian formations have almost completed preparations for the counteroffensive. The enemy has transferred additional fighter aviation to airfields in the region.
🔹#Dnepropetrovsk Region:
▪️ In Pavlograd, Russian troops hit an enemy facility, a precise hit led to a munitions detonation and a major fire.
🔹#Kherson Direction on #SouthFront:
▪️ Mutual shelling continues along the entire contact line. Russian troops inflicted fire damage on the identified enemy positions in #Kherson, #Berislav and #Tyaginka, and also used guided aerial bombs on a cluster of APU in Kizomys.
▪️ Ukrainian formations shelled the left bank of #Kherson region, civilian infrastructure was damaged in Novaya Kakhovka, Golaya Pristan and #Alyoshki.
🔹#Crimea:
▪️ On Saturday, at least ten Ukrainian drones attempted to attack ground facilities on the Crimean peninsula.
➖ In #Sevastopol, a fuel tank was damaged and a large fire broke out at the facility. The remaining drones were successfully shot down.
🔸Political and other Events:
▪️ Czech President Petr Pavel visited #Dnepropetrovsk, where he promised to allocate more shells to the AFU for the counteroffensive.
▪️ AFU Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny has discussed the prospects of the counteroffensive with the chief of the US Joint Forces in Europe, General Christopher Kavoli.
▪️ Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron.
▪️ Germany has confirmed the transfer of a second Iris-T air defence system to #Ukraine, as well as ten off-road trucks.

https://t.me/sitreports/7957

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 5:09 utc | 154

🇷🇺 ⚔️🇺🇦 PMC “Wagner” took the main heights of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the west of Bakhmut and from advantageous positions they are knocking out the enemy from quarters
Ukrainian military analysts report this in reports.
▪️ Wagner has new successes, the situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is close to critical due to the reduction of the usable area for defensive operations.
▪️ PMCs took a priority height for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the west of Bakhmut – the area of the Medical College, from where the Ukrainian forces conducted the main adjustment of the fire of tanks and artillery.
▪️ In the western part of the city, the “Wagnerites” are actively storming Tchaikovsky Street, they have success.
▪️ A little higher up Tchaikovsky Street, after the capture of the medical college, the “Wagnerites” from the heights storm the left side of Tchaikovsky Street.
▪️ In the north of Bakhmut, the promotion of “Wagner” in the private sector in several quarters.
▪️ In the area of Ivanovsky, the Russians have again stepped up and are striving to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
▪️ In the direction of Minkovka, PMCs also carried out offensive operations.
▪️ There are very heavy battles in the area of the tank base, as well as near Khromovo in the area of the highway 0-0506.
▪️ PMC continues active assaults on the highway and other areas of defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/44027

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 5:14 utc | 156

I forgot to ad that I hope he chokes to death on a Big Mac soon.

Posted by: Drinky Crow | May 1 2023 5:45 utc | 158

I wonder if there were British depleted uranium shells at the Pavlograd railway station.
If so, congratulations to the people of Dnipropetrovsk oblast.
Don’t be surprised by the consequences the Serbs and Iraqis are aware of.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/44015

Posted by: Norwegian | May 1 2023 6:05 utc | 160

From Reuters

May 1 (Reuters) – Ukrainian air defence crews destroyed 15 out of 18 missiles launched by Russian forces in the early hours of Monday morning, the military said, as Moscow intensified attacks on its neighbour in recent days.
“Around 2:30 am (1130 GMT), the Russian invaders attacked Ukraine from strategic aviation planes,” a post on the Telegram channel of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, read.
It added that 15 out of the 18 missiles launched had been destroyed.
Kyiv’s city officials wrote on the Telegram messaging app that all missiles directed at the capital were destroyed in what they said was the second attack on the city in three days.
“According to (preliminary information), no casualties among the civilian population and no destruction of residential facilities or infrastructure have been recorded,” the city administration said.
Air defence systems were also called into action to shield the Kyiv region, which is a separate administrative entity from the city, from Russian missiles, officials said.
Russia has also launched missiles at other Ukrainian regions overnight, including on Dnipropetrovsk, Mykola Lukashuk, the head of the Dnipro region council, said. Air defence crews shot down seven missiles, but 25 people sought medical help.
The eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad was struck twice overnight, and an industrial enterprise, 19 apartment buildings and 25 private buildings, among others, were damaged or destroyed, he added.
“There were also fires, emergency services are at work,” Lukashuk said.
Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russian-backed administration of the Zaporizhzhia region, posted late on Sunday what he said were pictures and videos of fires in Pavlohrad and said that Russian forces struck at military targets there.
Russia says some recent strikes are designed to hamper Kyiv’s plans for a long-planned counteroffensive in the east.

Posted by: psychohistorian | May 1 2023 6:17 utc | 162

People say trump didn’t start a war !
That’s not what I remember the streets of America looked like a war zone, no deals cut there.
And abroad what about Venezuela just becouse he failed in starting wars dosent meen he’s a good man,
Was’nt he a close freand of Epstein and Maxwell.
Was’nt trumps major funder Soros ?
he was a Israel yes man.
What about Assange?
Are people here so so desperate that they see a fuckwit like trump as their saviour.
This is a measure of how low into the bowels of hell the Americans have sunk.
Face it ther is no savour for America.
End of.
Trump supporters are the same as Azov supporters, just nazi scum.
If the cap fits.

Posted by: Mark2 | May 1 2023 6:36 utc | 164

The situation in Bakhmut as of May 1, we continue to retreat to the west of the city, while maintaining the most protected fortified area in high-rise buildings. The main battles will begin this week, the enemy will try to take Bakhmut until May 9, our task is to hold positions despite the losses and psychological state.
Artillery and aviation continue to work on high-rise buildings, turning our positions into a pile of stones. Syrsky is personally at the forefront and controls the sending of reserves to Bakhmut so that there is no attempt to sabotage the decision of the General Staff.

https://t.me/rezident_ua/17539

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 6:57 utc | 166

“Prigozhin has specifically stated …”
I think is is all theatrics.. very much in the spirit of his previous responses to inquires by western journos.

Posted by: Nomad | May 1 2023 7:14 utc | 168

Posted by: uncle tungsten | May 1 2023 4:23 utc | 158
It looks like Marty from Amerika will launch an attack on Prigo and Wagner soon, he will express joy about their deaths like his joy when that guy was killed by an exploding doll in Russia, far from Ukr.
Other than that, not as much action as people were reporting on telegram last night, using info from Ukr (!) about many many many strategic bombers in flight. Another Ukr fake to make it look like they repelled a great attack but only a few missiles arrived, just to keep Russians thinking there was a revenge for the recent attacks and civilian deaths.
And the Pope is on a special secret mission to return children stolen by Russians to Ukr! He lost his supply

Posted by: rk | May 1 2023 7:33 utc | 170

uncle tungsten | May 1 2023 4:23 utc | 158
The death and destruction of the Ukroid forces in Bakhmut is something to behold in history. When the west mutters about pulling out of Bakhmut, the louder the cries from the cook of woe is me. If things were at a stalemate there, it would be easier to believe the Matryoshka.
I watched drone video of a Ukroid trench the other day. Bodies everywhere. not one of them was alive. All killed by artillery.
The cooks job is to suck in all reserves for the upcoming anglo offensive and destroy them in Bakhmut.
As with he American president, Putin is CIC for the Russian military. If there was a problem it would be corrected.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 1 2023 7:39 utc | 172

guardian runs a article today showing a funeral from the ukraine s300 air defence that hit the apartment complex the other day. has a whole story of the human grief as it claims it was a russian missile that targeted civilians. all the while crickets on the real donbass civilians targeted daily. these western liars deserve everything coming to them and i will be cheering the monoliths demise

Posted by: hankster | May 1 2023 7:52 utc | 174

If that were correct, than China, Blackrock, Monsanto, Cargill should be talking to Moscow rather than Kiev. Anybody interested in making money in Ukraine should be more interested in ending the shooting than in who to deal with for setting up their business
Posted by: Marvin | May 1 2023 7:18 utc | 177
China is talking to the actual owner of Ukr. Russia will rebuild their 20% of former Ukr alone, the big money is on the other 80%, the US part of Ukr. Rebuild and continue war in Donbass, the fee to keep Taiwan for a few years more. What else could Xi and Lula want with their impossible piss plan that returns Donbass to Zely? Not even Iranian friends recognize Donbass as Russian, only Syria does.

Posted by: rk | May 1 2023 8:04 utc | 176

171 – Yes, like blocking a kick by using your rib cage.

Posted by: Waldorf | May 1 2023 8:50 utc | 178

“There was no justification for the US in Iraq just as there is no justification for what Russia is doing in Ukraine.”
The Ukros killed Russians in Eastern Ukraine.

Posted by: Apollyon | May 1 2023 9:01 utc | 180

Probably beating a dead horse, but Military summary channel said that Ukraine was probably trying to transfer the new Nato brigades from the vicinity of Poltava on rails through Pavlograd and Sinkovka to the front line. They have already transferred 1 of 15 or whatever mech brigades there. So Russia hit Pavlograd.
Pavlograd is also a central hub for supplying Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and Konstantinovka, Pokrovsk in the east (which support Avdeevka, Maryinka etc.), and Orekhov/Gulyapole in the south. There’s supposedly an 80000 army in the vicinity of Bakhmut and if there is no rail, trucks would be the only way to transfer supplies which is very inefficient and means all those end points and sectors may be suffering chronical supply shortages.

Posted by: unimperator | May 1 2023 9:20 utc | 182

All Syrsky’s statements about successful counterattacks in Bakhmut are not true, in two days we lost control over the military unit / medical college and the private sector in the west of the city.
The General Staff expects tonight the main battles for the main fortified area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Bakhmut, part of the high-rise buildings are already mined and should stop the advance of the Russian army.
Syrsky personally commands the defense of the city, his task is to keep Bakhmut at any cost until May 9th.

https://t.me/rezident_ua/17541

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 9:43 utc | 184

Our source in the OP said that Zelensky began to delay the counteroffensive in order to achieve the supply of fighter jets and long-range missiles. At headquarters, it was decided in May not to launch a counteroffensive in the south, but to try to organize a strike near Bakhmut.
The Biden administration opposes any operations on the eastern front and forbids the use of the supplied heavy equipment, but Syrsky assured Zelensky that he could return Bakhmut with a strike from Seversk near Soledar/Lysichansk.

https://t.me/rezident_ua/17544

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 9:45 utc | 186

https://strategic-culture.org/news/2023/04/30/last-offensive-of-kiev-regime/
This is an important article about the upcoming Ukranazi offensive. Salient points it claims:
1. The offensive is going to happen, and soon.
2. It will happen because it has been ordered by NATO and what the Elensky regime thinks is immaterial.
3. The offensive will be conducted by very large and well trained forces, both nazis and NATO regular troops in Ukranazistani uniform.
4. The offensive will be accompanied by massive attacks on Russian ships, airfields, and bases by drones and missiles.
5. The Ukranazis will try to cross the Dneiper at multiple points, if only to tie down Russian forces so that they cannot be diverted to fighting the main threat which will be
6. To try and cut off Crimea from Russia, both by destroying the Kerch bridge and by amphibious/airborne invasion of Crimea itself.
7. All Western media claims of the dire state of the Ukranazi conditions are disinformation to camouflage the coming offensive.
8. Russian intelligence is not deceived by any of the disinformation and Russian military is more than prepared to defeat the offensive.
9. If the offensive does achieve any success the result will be general mobilisation and declaration of war by Russia.
10. Either way this offensive will end in the devastation of Ukranazi military abilities.
I find the author’s claims of the Ukranazistani abilities to airlift and amphibious land forces totally unpersuasive, not only because they neither have the helicopters and landing ships available to conduct this operation but because any such airlift would provide a magnificent target for Russian air defences. The author claims that the first step would be to saturate Russian defences with drones to exhaust the missiles, but Russian electronic jamming has already significantly affected Ukranazi drones in Donetsk without using up missiles. To say nothing of SU 35s and 57s targeting slow flying helicopters with missiles from 150 kilometres away, which will happen.
To gather forces for this offensive itself will require significant transport, which by this stage cannot escape the notice of Russian satellites, and grouped troops and equipment would be great targets for air strikes. That might be part of what we saw today.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 1 2023 9:53 utc | 188

Shadowbanned @159 is of course correct: the Russian conduct in this conflict is explicable only in terms of protecting the oligarchs’ business interests in Ukranazistan. From 2014 to the time Surovikin began hitting the infrastructure, it was all primarily oriented towards protecting the oligarchs’ profits. Even now the Ukranazi electric infrastructure hasn’t been totally eliminated and Lukoil’s refinery in Bulgaria feeds Ukranazistan with its fuel, which is used to fight Russia. What can you make out of that?

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 1 2023 10:07 utc | 190

The Western press woke up and began to write that the number of poor people in Ukraine has grown, the economy has “died”, and the future of people living in Ukraine seems tragic, since it will be even more difficult to survive.
We often write about this, warning Ukrainians to open their eyes and realize that it will only get worse.
This is indicated by:
1. All industrial heritage of the “bad” Soviet Union was completely destroyed. What else exists will be sold to multinational corporations for a penny.
2. The agricultural sector will die out. It will also be bankrupt and bought out by TNK
3. The country is in complete ruin
4. The economy and budget are supported by loans. Now Ukraine depends on 80% of Western money. As soon as they stop giving them, there will immediately be a default, the collapse of the hryvnia to the bottom and all the worst for the people.
5. The risk of a “hybrid famine” in the country due to the actions of the Office of the President remains.
6. The future of Ukraine is a fuel, energy and gas crisis – all the time.
7. Increasing prices and tariffs on an ongoing basis
8. Lawlessness of power. Criminalization and radicalism.
9. The extinction of the nation due to the fact that the proteges of TNCs destroyed the medical industry.
10. Degradation of the nation. Proteges of TNCs have been destroying education for a long time. The task is to make a stupid herd out of the Ukrainian nation.
11. Transformation of Ukrainians into a “crippled” nation. Already, hundreds of thousands of soldiers have become disabled, either physically or psychologically.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of problems that are growing daily.
We repeat: after all, Zelensky could simply fulfill the Minsk agreements and this “terrible dream” would not have happened.

https://t.me/legitimniy/15248

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 10:37 utc | 192

Georgia was not granted the status of a candidate for EU membership due to the fact that the leadership of the republic refused to join the sanctions against the Russian Federation, Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party, Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze said.
“The refusal to grant candidate status was a political decision, and society understood very well why this happened. The Georgian government is a problem for them because it does not join the sanctions, does not start a war, does not open a “second front” in the country,” he said.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/44102

Posted by: Down South | May 1 2023 10:45 utc | 194

polarbear4 @ 156

i wonder if prigozhin is being prepped, perhaps without his knowledge, to challenge putin… he will have a lot of support from wagner…

This is historically what happens when you build a special elite corps not as part of the military but within it but apart. However, Wagner is still far from a Praetorian Guard and I really doubt this scenario will be at play here. If Russia falters at the coming western offensive then who knows, Russia does have a history of turbulent rule in crises.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 1 2023 10:50 utc | 196

Down South @ 201

The design of the SMR-160 is devoid of pumps and is significantly simplified , and so does not require maintenance. Thus, it is expected to significantly reduce the cost of a nuclear reactor, as well as the time to put it into operation

The neoliberal, digital economy wet dream: all the engineering, design, and construction, can be contracted out by a private equity, zero liability, shell corporation.
“You mean it doesn’t need a work force! What few people it needs I can out-source to a temp firm? A no mess, no bother NPP? Where do I sign!”
What could possibly go wrong?

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | May 1 2023 11:03 utc | 198

@William Gruff 205
I know. That’s going to be in my comic strip.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 1 2023 11:08 utc | 200